ESL Pro League Season 22: Round 3 Matchups Locked In

ESL Pro League Season 22: Round 3 Matchups Locked In

As ESL Pro League Season 22 moves into its third round of the second stage, the fixtures have now been confirmed — and with them, the final opportunities for some teams to reach the playoffs, while others face elimination. 

Key Matches & Stakes

• G2 vs. Spirit
  These two enter the clash undefeated (2-0) and will battle for a perfect 3-0 record and a guaranteed playoff berth.

• MOUZ vs. Falcons
  The winner of this matchup — the ninth meeting between these squads this year — will claim the other slot from the 2-0 pool.

Elimination Matches (0–2 Pool)

Teams already sitting at 0–2 must fight to stay alive:

• The MongolZ vs. GamerLegion
  Both lost their first two matchups (to HOTU and Inner Circle respectively) and will now clash in a do-or-die scenario.

• FaZe vs. Astralis
  FaZe arrive in this position after a forfeit and a defeat to 3DMAX. Their roster shakeup, namely the return of Håvard “rain” Nygaard, is especially relevant here.

  • The reason for the forfeit: FaZe were unable to field a compliant roster in their earlier match due to eligibility rules.

  • To address this, FaZe reinstated rain in the active lineup for the duration of their EPL run.

  • However, following a tough start, they fell 2-0 to 3DMAX. The match was played after rain flew into the venue shortly before the game — and despite his efforts, FaZe was eliminated from the elimination bracket.

Evenly Matched Battles (1–1 Pool)

A number of matches will feature teams that are 1–1 and still competing for playoff positions:

• Natus Vincere vs. 3DMAX

• Vitality vs. HOTU

• Aurora vs. Gentle Mates

• FURIA vs. Inner Circle

Context & Format Notes

• ESL Pro League Season 22 is being held offline in Stockholm, Sweden, featuring 24 teams competing in CS2.

• The Stage 2 group phase uses the Swiss system, where teams’ paths are determined by their win-loss records.

• FaZe’s roster change (dropping jcobbb and bringing back rain) is a direct response to ESL’s roster eligibility rules, ensuring compliance for the tournament period.

• The upset by 3DMAX over FaZe sent FaZe into the elimination bracket, sealing their precarious position.

• Separately, Falcons recently upset Natus Vincere to go 2–0 in the tournament.

• A highlight reel covering standout plays from Stage 2 has also been published.